Johnston-Willis Hospital’s New Large Bore, Open MRI Combines Patient Comfort & Quality Images

RICHMOND, June 1, 2009 - Johnston-Willis Hospital is expanding its MRI service to offer a new open bore, 1.5 Tesla, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system that combines a large bore, or opening, for heavier and claustrophobic patients with the ability to capture high-field quality diagnostic images.

The Siemens Medical Solutions MAGNETOM Espree open MRI is now being offered at the Johnston-Willis campus of CJW Medical Center.  The patient-friendly design of this magnet will make it easier for patients 350-550 pounds as well as those patients with claustrophobia to have a MRI examination which produces sharper, more detailed images.

“Our patients now have an MRI option that is not only more comfortable, but allows for a more precise image,” said Efstathios Spinos, MD, Chief of Radiology at Johnston-Willis Hospital.

The Siemens Medical Solutions MAGNETOM Espree open MRI features a bore opening of nearly 2.3 feet in diameter and almost one foot of free space between a patient’s head and the magnet. The special design of this magnet allows for more than 60 percent of all exams to be completed with the patient’s head outside the opening.  The Espree also features the shortest 1.5 Tesla magnet available.

About CJW Medical Center
CJW Medical Center has 758 beds on its two campuses. Chippenham Hospital, in the city of Richmond, offers a state-designated level III trauma center, The Levinson Heart Hospital and Tucker Pavilion; while Johnston-Willis Hospital, in Chesterfield County, offers the Thomas Johns Cancer Hospital and the Neuroscience & Gamma Knife Center. CJW Medical Center is a member of HCA Virginia Health System. www.CJWMedical.com

About HCA Virginia Health System – Central Virginia Market
With 1,800 beds, more than 6,600 employees and 1,600 affiliated physicians, the Central Virginia team of HCA Virginia Health System is the largest and most comprehensive healthcare provider and one of the largest private employers in Central Virginia.  In Central Virginia, HCA Virginia Health System operates six hospital campuses along with freestanding surgery, imaging and family health centers.  Our hospitals include Chippenham Hospital, Johnston-Willis Hospital, John Randolph Medical Center, Henrico Doctors’ Hospital, Parham Doctors’ Hospital and Retreat Doctors’ Hospital.  Both CJW Medical Center and Henrico Doctors’ Hospital have been named HealthGrades ‘America’s 50 Best Hospitals’ in 2007 and 2008. They are the only Virginia hospitals to earn this distinction two years in a row. For more information or to select a physician, please contact 804-320-DOCS or visit www.hcavirginia.com
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